Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Wins Snap Election in a Landslide

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 5 min read 100% complete by Javier C. Hernández, River Akira Davis, Kiuko Notoya and Hisako UenoFebruary 8, 2026 at 05:44 PM

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In a snap election held on Sunday, February 8, 2026, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won a landslide victory, securing an absolute majority in the House of Representatives. The win provides Takaichi, who became Japan's first female prime minister 110 days prior, with a strong mandate for her economic policies and hawkish stances on immigration and China. The LDP gained significantly, winning at least 310 seats, up from 198. This outcome reverses the party's recent struggles and allows Takaichi to pursue her conservative agenda on defense, social issues, and national security with fewer constraints. She called the election to seek a public mandate for her government. With a potential supermajority through collaboration with the Japan Innovation Party, Takaichi is positioned to fast-track her priorities.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Japan Innovation Party 30% Donald Trump 40% House of Representatives 40% NHK ×350% China ×260% Liberal Democratic Party ×280% Japan ×790% Sanae Takaichi ×9100%

Keywords

snap election 90% landslide victory 80% economic agenda 70% conservative agenda 70% immigration 60% china 60% public mandate 60% government spending 50% national security 50%